News, Community, and Historical Thinking

What We’re Reading: April 11, 2013

In today’s What We’re Reading, we feature the latest conversation relating to the National Association of Scholars’ report on Bowdoin, a look at one of the first “living archives,” a visual tour of duplitecture in China, and more!

How Not to Defend the Liberal Arts
Conversation about the heavily publicized National Association of Scholars’ report on Bowdoin College has predictably followed left/right lines. Samuel Goldman, writing for the American Conservative, critiques the National Association of Scholars’ report on Bowdoin College from a conservative perspective.

Archive TalkThe Era of Deep Archiving Begins
The New York Times profiles the work of William McDonough, who has steadfastly maintained a living archive of his work and daily life, which is currently being housed at Stanford University Libraries’ Special Collections.

The Arc-Hive Mind?
Matthew Linton, blogging for Ibid, discusses the question posed in outgoing AHA President Bill Cronon’s presidential address: “How can professional historians be encouraged to publish books for public consumption while retaining high research standards?”

Another Call for Historians
On the heels of a call for historians for a reality show, which we posted last week, we received a request from Real History, a weekly web series on TheBlaze, seeking historians to speak on “little known aspects of history.” Interested historians can see examples of their work online, and can contact the series’ producer at MSmawley@theblaze.com with ideas.

History Licking Its Chops to Judge George W. Bush
From the Onion, “Claiming it can barely wait any longer to weigh in on the former president’s eight years in office, history, the branch of knowledge consisting of the recorded past, reported today that it’s licking its chops to render a definitive judgment of George W. Bush.” Disclaimers and warnings: Satire. Partisanship. Ribald language.